Tatum pours in 33 as Celtics snap Cavs’ 15-game win streak to open season

The defending NBA champions held off the league’s hottest team on Tuesday night, with Jayson Tatum scoring 33 points and adding 12 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 120-117 victory over Cleveland and handing the Cavaliers their first loss after 15 straight victories to to open the season.

Cleveland cut a 21-point deficit to two in the third quarter, and Donovan Mitchell hit a rainbow three-pointer with 24 seconds left to make it a four-point game. Tatum sank one of two free throws and then clobbered Mitchell on the other end, leaving the Cavaliers guard on the ground and in need of medical attention.

Mitchell eventually stepped to the line and sank both free throws, but Boston inbounded the ball with no problem and passed it down the lane for an easy dunk from Al Horford to win the ball.

Tatum sank six of Boston’s 22 3-pointers and added seven assists for Boston’s third straight victory.

Mitchell scored 35 points and Evan Mobley had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who became the fourth team in NBA history to open the season with 15 straight wins. The 15-game winning streak was the longest in Cavaliers franchise history.